Is your business debating whether to invest in a search engine optimization campaign this year? Are you trying to decide if it’s best to invest in a pay per click advertising campaign or a search engine optimization campaign? It all depends on your business goals. For instance, if you want immediate traffic to your company’s website, I wouldn’t suggest investing in a search engine optimization campaign because it takes more time to build traffic. On the other hand, if you want immediate traffic to your site, then a pay per click advertising campaign is the way to go. With pay per click advertising, you’re paying for your text ads to display on the search engines like Google and Yahoo/Bing. I’m not saying search engine optimization should be ignored however. You have to think like a consumer; there is not one type of consumer who just clicks on the organic links or the paid ads; consumers click on both probably without even realizing it.

Nonetheless, if you are leaning towards a search engine optimization campaign, you need to familiarize yourself with your options. There are numerous ways you can invest in a search engine optimization campaign, and luckily, SEOmoz and AYTM have done some of the work for you on this subject. In a December 2011 survey, SEOmoz asked over 500 search engine optimization consultants and agencies about their business models. The survey included answers across the world, covering countries like Germany, India, and New Zealand to name a few. Take a look at the results in the infographic below.

What did you learn from SEOmoz’s study? Share your thoughts in a comment!

About Alan Moore: Alan is an Internet Marketing Consultant with ReachLocal Baltimore. His mission is to help you increase your revenues and decrease unproductive advertising expenses through proven, online marketing strategies. He manages over $1.4 million in annual marketing budgets and has worked with local businesses, agencies and the US government. Give him a call at (877)655-3438 to schedule a free consultation.